John Ruch
BROOKSIDE—A new non-profit called CropCircle Kitchen has taken over the failed Nuestra Culinary Ventures (NCV) kitchen incubator program, according to a publicity e-mail from one of its clients.
As the Gazette reported last month, a new Jamaica Plain non-profit called CropCircle appeared to be in negotiations to take over NCV, which was based at The Brewery complex on Amory Street.
Now NCV’s kitchen is being operated by “the new CropCircle Kitchen,” according to an Aug. 11 e-mail from chef Rie Akazawa, who was publicizing cooking classes there.
CropCircle formed in January as a group promoting sustainably, locally based food production and distribution, according to state records. A new, separate non-profit called CropCircle Kitchen, Inc. was formed on July 29, according to state records, with the purpose of “securing the current and future success of Boston’s only shared-use kitchen and culinary business incubator.”
JP resident Jonathan Kemp is registered as the president of both CropCircle and CropCircle Kitchen. He did not return a Gazette phone call for this article. Neither did David Price, executive director of Roxbury’s Nuestra Community Development Corporation, the parent organization of NCV.
Founded in 2002, NCV provided kitchen space and business advice to start-up food service companies—a program known as a “business incubator.” But NCV announced its demise earlier this year, declaring a failed business model and nearly $1 million in operating losses.
Nothing in the state records describe the funding or business model for either CropCircle organization. It is unclear whether CropCircle will make any changes to the NCV programming.
“I feel very optimistic about the future of the CropCircle Kitchen and plan to continue to offer my monthly cooking classes there,” Akazawa said in an e-mail to the Gazette.